Who are these peoples?

“Did you know that next Monday is Indigenous Peoples Day?”

I heard that in a meeting last week and proved my oblivity (I know that’s not a real word, but I’m lobbying for it) by having never heard of such.

Yes, there are things I don’t know. Shocking!

I grew with this little rhyme: “In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue …”

We were taught—at least in my memory—that Christopher Columbus “discovered” America in 1492.

Of course we found out later that Columbus might not have been such a heroic character and that the people groups who had lived here for thousands of years (indigenous peoples) were surprised to have been “discovered.”

So, for the past few years, there has been a push to recognize and validate those who were here before European exploration/immigration/invasion (or any other words that have been used) began to displace them. Hence, the growing trend of states, cities, and municipalities who have opted for Indigenous Peoples Day in lieu of Columbus Day.

My 10 minutes of extensive research this morning (I am an opinion columnist, not an investigative journalist) led me to discover that seven states (Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, and Vermont) have officially replaced CD with IPD, seven more states (Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin) plus Washington DC celebrate IPD by proclamation, and two states (Alabama and Oklahoma) celebrate both CD and IPD.

My purpose in writing today is not to comment on the merit of such change or to invite “politics” into the discussion (especially since “politics” apparently needs no invitation—much like Columbus and the other European explorers/immigrants from whom I am descended and for which I do not feel compelled to apologize over 500 years later. That was simply an acknowledgment).

My point today is that there are people around us, many of whom have roots that run much deeper than ours, that do not speak our native language.

And by “native language” I mean much more than English. I mean that their cultural understandings, habits, and deep sense of identity all come from a different place. 

One of our challenges is how we communicate truth, goodness, and character in a way that they can understand.

As one who has made my living in some kind of “church” work for the past 43 years (full-time for the past 32), one of my primary tasks has been finding common ground to demonstrate the compassion and love of Jesus in order to earn the right to tell the truth of Jesus to those who do not share my own spiritual heritage and history.

The preacher I heard yesterday reminded me of a great Bible incident that is recorded in Acts 2:5-12. 

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? … we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”  Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

I don’t have the space in this context to unpack all of that. 

My point is that there are things that I believe to be absolutely true. They are not true because I believe them and they are not untrue because someone else doesn’t believe them. That’s not the way truth works.

But, I can forfeit my opportunity to share those truths if I insist that people adopt my culture and heritage—become like me—before they can accept truth that transcends culture and heritage.

I have to meet people with the love and compassion of Jesus WHERE THEY ARE and learn to communicate truth in language they can understand. And I have to acknowledge that they have just as much right to be here as I do.

Who are these peoples? They are peoples that God loves immensely.

Be amazing today, my friend.

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